Key Lime Obsession

I tried the Key Lime yogurt from Yoplait quite some time ago. It was pretty good. I tried the Key Lime Pie at Mitchell's Fish Market. There was no turning back after that. If Key Lime Pie was on the menu, strategic eating was in play, and dessert was all mine.

I have found that Key Lime Pie is differentiated by three things:

1. consistency of the pie

2. how tangy the lime flavor is

3. the make up of the crust

I tend to like a denser pie with a tangy flavor, something that *almost* makes my lips pucker. Tang is what it's all about. The crust is a whole other ball game. I like the crust crumbly, yet substantial. I like it to snap when I bite into it or cut it with my fork. I've run across quite a few different crust pairings with the pie.

Mitchell's offers a traditional key lime pie, dense and creamy. The crust is made up of graham crackers and macadamia nuts. As a nice topper, with the traditional dollop of homemade whipped cream and lime slice, there is a sprinkle of macadamia nuts on top of the pie. I like the crunch of the nuts in both the crust and with a bite of just the filling. You can find the recipe for the crust here and the filling here.

In addition to being a sucker for desserts, I love hunting down new places to eat courtesy of the recommendations from Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives as well as Man vs. Food. In Tampa, Florida, this summer, we visited Ted Peters Famous Smoked Fish. This place was all about simplicity. Pop a squat at a picnic bench under the awnings. Lean a little to your left and you can touch your car. The smoke house is on the other side of the parking lot and you can pick up some smoked fish to go. While smoked fish spread is their specialty, they have a kickin' Key Lime Pie. This pie had filling filled to the brim. It's the tallest slice of pie I've seen yet. Very creamy, very delicious. this crust was traditional graham cracker with the right amount of crumble, but not quite enough "snap". Still worth it if you're in the neighborhood. Wish I would've marked the occasion with a picture, but oh well.

To round out the Florida Key Lime experience, Dockside Dave's had some unusual, but delish, pie. Barbara, your Homemade Key Lime Pie is still top my list! A dense and creamy filling with CHOCOLATE crust. Oh my. Yes, my mouth is watering right now. The tang of this pie was balanced sooo well by that chocolate goodness in the crust. Deliciousness. When we visited in June, this was literally a hole in the wall off Gulf Blvd. in Madiera Beach, but looks like they've relocated nearby.

Last but not least, Bosley's On Brady in MKE brings a great KLP also. In addition to the cute palm tree decor on the plate, the tangy pie is complemented by a gingersnap crust. My husband thought this was just awesome, but I couldn't detect much of a strong ginger flavor. I can say that the Key Lime Martini was quite tasty as well.